Thefts, arson and abuse: The Archers - it's an everyday story of cuntery, folks.

[PseudoBadger]

Thanks to Lancelottie for the title

OK have listened to the last 25 min or so of the film. Actually not too bad compared with what I'd got in my head from reading this, because at least most of the bunny-binning stuff was reported by Helen to Jess. Henry's crying upstairs was heart-rending though.

Can I ask about Helens antenatal care - shouldn't she be getting weekly check ups because of her history of pre eclampsia ? AFAIK she's likely to get it again as the babies have different fathers .

I'm wondering if this will happen and she will be rushed into hospital . Rob will try to be his usual controlling self and be rumbled by the hospital staff . Perhaps he will try to get her to discharge herself . Or blame the pre eclampsia on her " hysteria" . Maybe he will refuse to bring Henry into hospital to see Helen and Helens family will finally realise what he's like .

The problem with having Jess in the mix is that it will dilute the sl because of the inconsistencies. And she's a terrible actress!!

When they moved to Canada that would have been a prime time to isolate her and then destroy her confidence so when they came back to U.K. She wouldn't feel capable of getting another job

Listening again and wtf was that awful business with Ruth laughing?

It was about an oxo cube in the shower head

I know, very funny if you are 12

Did anything come of the arson or was the fire just a plot device to get the fairbros in at berts?

Nothing came of it AFAIK

Mystic Bore predicts they haven't finished with the arson story...

One fire might be mere plot device; two fires suggest the construction of a plot ...

I'm with Gruach on this.

That would be a rather over dramatic sl after flood/goring/DA

Fink DM's rule that guests only get white towels(because they are the best towels rather than because she's a towel racist). Just catching up & this line made me laugh.

Well my towels are sexist. Grey for males, and fuchsia for females

I found laughing Ruth really irritating. Was it really that funny that she was helpless with laughter? And I couldn't work out why, having already heard the story once, she needed to have it repeated. (To be fair, Bert seemed puzzled by this too!) Bert put a stock cube in the shower head. What details did she not have straight?

I disagree that having Jess in the mix will dilute the storyline. We know that Helen can't entirely admit to herself what's happening. She's so confused that I think that Jess is the vital real-life/experienced confirmation she needs to fully understand the extent of his controlling and abusive behaviour ("he kept tabs on me too", "he kept chipping away"). Kirsty is the only person who has consistently disliked him so Helen might not, deep down, completely trust her. Tom allowed himself to be swayed and to accept Rob's help around the time of the wedding which Helen knows and may colour her view of Kirsty's motivation. Everyone else (bar Ian) seems to at least tolerate him now.

I agree Vango, also her pride is a big issue, and I think Jess won't judge her for falling for Knob's charms.

There's also the potential for Helen to accidentally let slip that she's spoken to Jess, which would send Rob's ire more stratospheric than mixing with that Kirsty Miller would. That would be very dangerous for her.

I just laughed out loud because in active threads, the one below this one was "I've just had a row with DH about stock cubes."

Helen, in Helen's world, is ALWAYS right. Happy to judge others but balking at the idea of what she perceives as being judged herself. Because, in the past, she's generally been so unpleasantly unsympathetic to other people's problems, she's probably afraid that she'll be blamed for the situation she finds herself in. Her pride is indeed a major stumbling block.

im not sure I can bear anymore scenes with Jess tbh

I have a friend who is at the same stage of pregnancy as Helen, with a similar medical history. She is having very close monitoring with weekly check ups.

The arson will be something connected to the tedium that is Toby's time in Brighton. Betcha.

KD has tweeted to recommend non-listeners to start listening tonight

Just been reading what will happen in next episode. Knob will apparently assert his viewpoint and Hellin will react. I wonder if she will stab him or something. That would get her arrested and leave Henwee in Knob's evil clutches.